Consumer Confidence Report Water Quality Report 2013 | Page 2

Conser vation Tip
Substances Expected to be in Drinking Water
The City of Arlington and the State of Texas both analyze your drinking water. Any regulated substances
that were detected during the last year are shown in Table A. As shown in the table, all are well below the
established maximum contaminant levels. All water dissolves substances from the ground as it flows over and
through it. Substances that may be present in raw water include such things as:
1) microbes such as viruses and bacteria
that come from septic systems, agricul-
tural livestock operations and wildlife;
2) salts and metals that can be naturally
occurring or the result of urban storm
water runoff, industrial or domestic
wastewater discharges or farming;
3) pesticides and herbicides that may come
from a variety of sources such as agri-
culture, urban storm water runoff or
residential uses;
4) organic chemical substances that include
synthetic and volatile organic chemicals
that are by-products of industrial
processes and can also come from gas
stations and urban storm water runoff;
5) radioactive substances that are naturally
occurring.
Conservation Tip
Replace old toilets with low flow
models that use 1.6 gallons or
less per flush and save up to
18% on interior water use.
One drip per second adds
up to five gallons per day.
Check your faucets and
showerheads for leaks.
Substances may be found in drinking
water that may cause taste, color, or odor
problems but are
not necessarily
causes for health
concerns. For
Conservation Tip
more informa-
Water your yard for longer
tion, please
periods of time on fewer days
call Laboratory
to encourage deep root growth
Services at
and drought tolerance.
817-575-8984.
Visit www.SaveArlingtonWater.com. Learn how
to do your part in saving our most precious resource – water.
Table A. Regulated Substances. These substances are regulated or are required to be monitored and were
detected in Arlington tap water in 2013. None of the detected substances exceeded the regulated limits.
Substance
Units Avg. Min. Max. Atrazine ppb 0.33 0.17 0.64 3 Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Barium (2012) ppm 0.053 0.049 0.056 2 2 Erosion of natural deposits
Bromate 3 ppb <5 <5 <5 10 10
3.5 3.3
Chloramines 2 ppm
MCL
MCLG
Possible Source
Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
3.7 MRDL=4 MRDLG=4 Water additive used to control microbes
Fluoride ppm 0.53 0.2 0.8 4 4 Water additive promoting strong teeth
Nitrate as Nitrogen ppm 0.422 0.1 0.851 10 10 Runoff from fertilizers
Nitrite as Nitrogen ppm 0.042 0.004 0.17 1 1 Runoff from fertilizers
Radioactive (2011)
Radium 228
Beta/Photon Emitters
Gross Alpha Particle Activity pCi/L
pCi/L
pCi/L <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 5
50
15 NE
NE
NE Decay of natural, man-made deposits
Decay of natural, man-made deposits
Decay of natural, man-made deposits
% NA ND .54% 5%** NA Naturally present in the environment
Total Coliform 4
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
PB Plant (raw)
ppm
5.6
5.1
6.3
PB Plant (drinking)
ppm
3.6
3.2
4.3
remov. ratio 1.0 0.7 1.2
PB Removal ratio 5
JK Plant (raw)
JK Plant (drinking)
JK Removal ratio 5
ppm
5.3
ppm
3.1
remov. ratio 1.2
Naturally present in the environment
(PB = Pierce-Burch Plant)
4.4
6.3
2.7
3.6
0.6 1.5
(JK = John F. Kubala Plant)
Total Trihalomethanes 2 ppb 12.4 10.2 13.8 80 NE By-product of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 2 ppb 5.3 5.1 5.5 60 NE By-product of drinking water chlorination
Turbidity 6
Highest single measurement NTU
0.13
0.03
0.43
TT=1.0
0
% of samples < 0.3 NTU
%
99.8%
NA
NA
TT=95%
NA

Action No. Sites >
Substance
Units Level Action Level
90th
%-tile Range
Soil runoff
Possible Source
Copper (2012) 1 ppm 1.3 0 0.157 0.003-0.244 Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Lead (2012) 1 ppb 15 0 0.0015 ND-0.0057 Corrosion of household plumbing systems
1 Instead
of MCLs for lead and copper, EPA requires that 90 percent of water samples obtained from customers’ taps contain less than the Action Level for each metal. Arlington’s
most recent survey of the required 50 homes shows no home exceeded the action level (sampling required every 3 years.) 2 Compliance is based on a calculated running annual
average of all samples at all sites. 3 Compliance is based on a calculated running annual average of the quarterly averages. 4 Coliform bacteria are used as indicators of microbial
contamination of drinking water because they are easily detected and found in the digestive tract of warm blooded animals. While not themselves disease producers, they are often found
in association with other microbes that are capable of causing disease. Coliform bacteria are more hardy than many disease-causing organisms. Therefore their absence from water
is a good indication that the water is bacteriologically safe for human consumption. **The MCL for total coliform is the presence of coliform bacteria in 5% or more of the monthly
samples. 5 Removal ratio is the percent of TOC removed by the treatment process divided by the percent of TOC required by TCEQ to be removed. Based on running annual average
of ratios. TCEQ requires a removal ratio of ≥1.0. 6 Turbidity has no health effects. However, it can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may
indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms that include bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.
Emerging Water
Quality Issues
A
rlington Water Utilities Utilities is committed to
protecting public health and meets or surpasses
all state and federal health standards for tap water.
Under the 1996 amendments to the federal Safe
Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection
Agency is required once every five years to issue
a new list of up to 30 unregulated contaminants
for which water systems must monitor. To help
advance the science of drinking water, we have
been collecting data for the EPA regarding the
occurrence of these compounds in our water
supply, which is the first step in determining
whether they should be regulated. These
compounds include Hexavalent Chromium, Cobalt,
Molybdenum, Strontium, Vanadium, Chlorate,
1,4 Dioxane, Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids, several
unregulated volatile organic compounds, and several
hormones. The presence of a compound does not
necessarily equate to a health risk, however the
concentration of a compound is a far more important
factor in determining whether there are health
implications. To learn more about the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Rule, visit:
www.DrinkTap.org
Conservation Tip
Table
Definitions
Use a rain barrel to harvest
rainwater from gutters for use in
gardens and on landscapes. The
City offers free classes on how to
build your own rain barrel.
Action Level (AL) The concentration
of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements which a water
system must follow.
<(xxxx) less than the amount listed.
≥(xxx) equal to or greater than the amount listed.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) The level
of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is
no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a
margin of safety.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) The highest level
of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using
the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG)
The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which
there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs
do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to
control microbial contamination.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) The
highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking
water. There is convincing evidence that addition of
a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial
contaminants.
NA Not applicable
ND (Not detected) No level of the parameter was
detected.
NE Not established
NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) A unit used
when measuring turbidity, a measure of the cloudiness
of the water.
pCi/L (picocuries per Liter) A measure of radioactivity
in the water.
ppb (parts per billion, ug/L) A unit of measurement
roughly equal to 1 drop in 100,000 gallons.
ppm (parts per million, mg/L) A unit of measurement
roughly equal to 1 drop in 100 gallons.
TT (Treatment Technique) A required process intended
to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Table B. Unregulated Substances. These substances are not currently regulated by EPA.The purpose of monitoring
for these contaminants is to assist EPA in determining their occurrence in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted.
Substance
Chloroform
Bromodichloromethane
Chlorodibromomethane
Bromoform
Dichloroacetic Acid
Bromoacetic Acid
Dibromoacetic Acid
Chloroacetic Acid
Trichloroacetic Acid
Chlorodifluoromethane
Bromochloromethane
Molybdenum
Strontium
Vanadium
Units
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
Avg.
5.2
4.3
3.5
0.5
3.87
0.59
0.7
0.06
0.05
4.4
0.126
1.6
255
0.714
Min.
3.6
4.2
3.2
0.1
3.66
0.18
0.25
ND
ND
0.842
0.116
1.49
252
0.505
Max.
6
4.5
3.9
1
4.21
1.09
1.28
0.25
0.14
7.95
0.136
1.86
259
0.812
MCL
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
Not Regulated
MCLG Possible Source
NE
NE
60
NE
NE
NE
NE
NE
300
NE
NE
40
4000
21
By-product of drinking water disinfection; not regulated
individually; included in Total Trihalomethanes.
Other Substances of Interest
Substance Units Avg Min Max
By-product of drinking water disinfection; not regulated
individually; included in Total Trihalomethanes.
Volatile Organic Compounds are used in many industrial
processes and found in personal care products
Naturally ocurring in rocks and soil
Naturally ocurring in minerals
Naturally ocurring in many minerals, fossil fuel deposits
Total:
Alkalinity
ppm
88
74
109
Hardness
ppm
102
76
120
Hardness
grains/gal.
5.9
4.4
7.0
Calcium ppm 34 25 43
Sodium ppm 28 19 31
Magnesium
ppm 3.4 3.1 3.6
Chloride ppm 21 10 25
pH
units 7.8 6.8 8.2